There has never been as good a time to earn a graduate degree online as now. Top-ranked schools are offering high-quality programs, technological advancements make the learning experience incredibly robust and students can work towards a degree while maintaining their jobs and family lives. For those worried about the reputation of online degrees, that too has improved remarkably. Two-thirds of academic professionals rate online programs as good or better than their in-person counterparts, according to U.S. News and World Report. One education consultant says 65 percent of managers view online degrees on the same level as those from brick-and-mortar institutions. With online programs finally receiving serious resources and respect, the time is right to start learning online. Online higher education has grown tremendously in recent years and the offerings have become increasingly sophisticated, which means students have more options to choose from, and better ones at that. Students can earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees online in fields like business, nursing, engineering, teaching and many more. In recognition of the growing demand for online education and the need to separate the high-quality programs from the rest, U.S. News and World Report will release a new set of rankings specifically for online offerings in January 2012. The most attractive component of online higher education for many students is the ability to attend top schools, like the University of North Carolina, Georgetown University or the University of Southern California, without having to relocate. Online students can keep their jobs, continue to pay their bills and support their families while advancing their careers simultaneously. Even in fields like nursing and teaching where clinical and classroom time is necessary, the right school makes it possible; Georgetown nursing graduate students complement online learning with clinical experiences in their own neighborhoods, and USC teaching students upload videos of their teaching to receive feedback from professors and mentors, to stay on track towards earning their teacher certification despite being hundreds of miles away. Technology enables students to learn from a distance, and recent advances are major drivers behind the increase in quality of online education. Students can attend live video classes with other students and professor, interacting as they would in a physical classroom through their computer’s webcams. Social networking tools are built into many online degree programs so students can ask each other for help, form study groups or simply socialize and make friends. While many fear they will be disconnected from professors, online students can reach instructors through e-mail or set up one-on-one video calls to receive feedback and help with coursework. Some programs even offer mobile applications, so students can keep up with their courses while away from their computers. With such robust technology, the online learning experience goes beyond mimicking the on-campus one, and aims to make learning better and more effective. Online programs have other distinct features that make them attractive, like opportunities for travel and developing immediately relevant skills for the workplace. MBA@UNC offered at the Kenan-Flagler School of Business, one of the best online MBA programs, require their students to attend at least two immersion weekends at different locations around the world, like San Francisco, Singapore and London. These serve as an extension of the classroom learning, allowing MBA students to develop leadership skills, connect with business leaders from around the globe and better understand the international business environment. Graduates of the top online degree programs that have an on-campus counterpart are indistinguishable from other alumni in the school’s perspective. They have access to the same resources after graduation, are members of the alumni network and, most importantly, receive a degree of equal quality. The unique learning environment, however, often makes them even stronger employees. “The students really have to hone their writing skills and their ability to articulate in an online format,” online education consultant Danielle Babb told Fox Business. “When they’re done with their programs, a lot of their employers are finding that it’s a huge benefit to the company because they are able to articulate more clearly in writing, they’re earning promotions, and they’re being looked at as the go to expert in their field.” This article was written by Social Media Outreach Coordinator, Harrison Kratz on behalf of CAREEREALISM-Approved Partner, 2tor – an education-technology company that partners with institutions of higher education such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to deliver their accredited MBA program online. Learn concept image from Shutterstock
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
BigstockMake a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
- How did I learn about this job?
- How did I apply for the job?
- Did I earn an interview?
- What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
BigstockAre you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
Let's start with resumes!
Every resume should be tailored to the position in order for it to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. It may seem like a lot of work, but it's actually less work than submitting the same resume over and over again and never hearing back.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
BigstockYour job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
- Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
- Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
- Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.